The Podcast by KevinMD
Episodes
We need a mental health infrastructure bill
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"As we slowly emerge from the physical withdrawal required during the pandemic, the emotional toll of this past year will become increasingly apparent...
Walk to reduce your loneliness and improve your well-being
21 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Just before the pandemic, I walked 96 miles (154.5 km) in seven days on the West Highland Way in Scotland, though I was hardly alone in this endeavor...
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"ME/CFS is a complex multi-system illness that destroys lives (essentially killing the person yet leaving them alive). It leaves patients with unima...
4 steps to de-escalate hostile people
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"The boundaries of unacceptable behavior have eroded in the past few years. Politicians, law enforcement, movie stars, health care providers, the heal...
Lessons from Radonda Vaught: Nurses need to raise their voices
18 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"One thing is hard to ignore – nurses need better treatment. Nurses need a seat at the table and advocacy. Nurses need to raise their voices, listen...
A neurosurgeon puts down the knife
17 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"MRI studies of these patients determined that it was not only the circuitry that was affected by the burnout but also the size of the brain structure...
How to stay off my operating table
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Health isn't about luck — it's about intentionality. But even if you're doing and saying all the right things, you might not be any closer to your ...
Why are women leaving medicine? Gaslighting.
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"We cannot change societal norms, gender biases, childhood needs, the education system, or stop a pandemic. But, we can stop gaslighting 50% of the po...
Why physicians require business skills
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"There are two valuable reasons why all physicians, especially medical students, should obtain or demand from their medical school academic business e...
A nut allergy nightmare at 35,000 feet
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"People developing anaphylaxis will not always have five extra minutes to spare. I do appreciate that auto-injectors are expensive, but it is not at a...
Negotiating employment contracts from a place of strength
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"The most important lesson when negotiating contracts is picking your battles and coming at them with optimism and positivity. Yes, you can and should...
What to do if you're involved in a medical malpractice lawsuit
11 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"The worry and anticipation of getting sued are heightened more than ever in the wake of the pandemic. It is in all physicians' minds. I recently did ...
Antibodies are the future of cancer treatment
10 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Since President Nixon declared war on cancer in 1971, and despite some great victories and many losses, there continues to be a never-ending battle i...
How you can donate effectively after tragedy
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Gun violence, war, pandemic, natural disasters — listening to the news or doom scrolling on social media during times of tragedy can leave us feeli...
Contractual issues for female physicians
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"All physicians need to be concerned about issues such as potential delays in the start date, restrictive covenants, potential ownership in a private ...
5 things this allergist-immunologist will never do
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Jumping on the recent TikTok trend of medical professionals sharing the things they would never do given their knowledge and expertise, I am sharing ...
Top tips for new interns
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"New resident physicians who have earned their MD degrees will be heading to hospitals to start their residencies during the last two week in June and...
When it comes to feeding infants, support is best
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"What really is best and first when it comes to infant feeding: support. Support is best. Whether we are talking about infant feeding or frankly anyth...
How to make primary care rotations more appealing for students
04 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"It is time that every health profession school specifies their criteria for optimal teaching primary care practices and for the training that would o...
Skinny fat and normal weight obesity
03 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Obesity is genetically common in our family. I was being gaslighted and judged by a bunch of obese people, most of whom were doing nothing to improve...
If it's not clinically pertinent, then stay out of my uterus
02 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"No matter how far we've come, women are still judged by fertility status but shouldn't be. If it's clinically pertinent to ask about reproductive hea...
How technology can streamline tedious health care processes
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Companies that embrace digital processes will reap the rewards, as shown by the Forrester survey taken in 2020 after the pandemic began. The survey f...
How in silico drug development can improve patient outcomes
31 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"In silico technologies also enable drug developers to perform, in theory, an unlimited number of tests using a wide range of variables that include a...
Combating antimicrobial resistance during COVID
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"While the world has spent the last two years laser-focused on the COVID pandemic, another public health threat is still lurking in the shadows: the r...
Secrets for managing time, stress, and people
29 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Every January, millions of people make New Year's resolutions. It's a joyous time full of high hopes. Ask people what they wish to achieve or hope to...
Activism is a part of medicine and we cannot remain neutral
28 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Nowadays, even scientific fact has been politicized. Even though many of us may wish to stay out of politics and stick to our "nobler" lane of medici...
Reversing the impact of the pandemic on childhood obesity
27 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"With schools closed, children spent hours upon hours sitting in front of a screen for instruction and homework. Non-academic screen time increased as...
Getting an appointment with primary care is the Achilles' heel of medicine
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"'Doctor, it's taken so long to get this appointment with you!' This is the opening line of so many medical visits, and I find myself constantly apolo...
A doctor for LGBTQ+ health needs
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"It is uncomfortable to be publically vulnerable with my story. I wish the statistics and research were enough to change the field of medicine for pat...
Why you need to care about oral health
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Guess what? The mouth is attached to the rest of the body. And though dentistry and medicine are typically separated from the very beginning of profe...
Contract advice for physicians leaving the military
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Military physicians should also realize that not all employers are equal or treat their physicians equally. Military physicians entering the civilian...
Melting the iron triangle: Health equity in innovative health care landscapes
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"While the technological boom in the health care field is not a circumstance of the pandemic, the accelerated roll-out and adoption of digital feature...
Non-judgmental empathy in the exam room
21 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I think we all have an inclination—at least from time to time—to judge others. No matter how experienced, compassionate, and professional we are ...
Tips for treating high-weight patients
20 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"It might seem odd to write about what high-weight patients would like when they meet with their doctors. Don't they want what every patient wants? Th...
How the culture of health care perpetuates racism
19 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Many health care professionals go into health care to help people, no matter their race, socioeconomic status, or other identities. Even as white hea...
To scribe or not to scribe? That is the question.
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I was working at an urgent treatment center, where a busy Saturday in January would be overwhelming. At one point, I hired a scribe. She was a bright...
What you need to know about monkeypox
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"What is currently known is that monkeypox is transmitted primarily through close contact with skin lesions, bodily fluids, and respiratory droplets. ...
Misaligned expectations lead to conflict, burnout, and disillusioned physician leaders
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Would you expect the chef at a restaurant to be told that they are not only required to prepare the food in the kitchen but also deliver it to each o...
A medical student's advocacy journey
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"As I looked across the boxes on my screen, I saw the gleaming faces of my peers. Just as it did then, and as it has for countless of my peers since, ...
Are you ready to hear the truths about perfectionism?
14 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Are you a perfectionist? Did you know that perfectionists are actually some of the biggest procrastinators? Yes, really. In theory, perfectionism sou...
Preserving humanity in the ICU
13 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Five days before this story begins, where everything is upside down, and the end is the beginning. Me, standing in my PICU, slowly approaching that c...
What a lifetime of gaslighting by other doctors feels like
12 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Ehlers-Danlos syndrome patients take an average of 10 years to be diagnosed. In that time, the pain from microtrauma and joint instability can become...
A caregiver's love story
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Dying and introspection happening at the same time were a dual reality that I found impossible to ignore when Bill was not doing well. As Bill's poor...
A physician's work dread and what he did about it
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Work dread. Even if you didn't know it had a name, you know the feeling. It is that sensation in the pit of your stomach when you realize that the st...
I'm a physician, not a provider
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"This is an important time to rise up, come together, and understand that it is our time to remove the confusing veil put on us. We are not delirious....
Why doctors are getting their asses kicked by technology
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Physicians have terrible technology, but they refuse to recognize high-tech as a medical specialty. They must integrate technology as they do laborat...
Teen dies when blood culture protocol botched
07 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Address the patient's chief complaint first. In this case, the other symptoms were only side effects of the main problem. Pay attention to lab work. ...
Less resiliency may heal burnout
06 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The word "resiliency" has been lauded, applauded, and buzzed about in talks about physician burnout. When I hear it, I tune out. My stomach churns. I ...
What it takes to build a pediatric weight management program
05 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Amazing pediatricians are back where I was years ago, with their C-suite asking for business plans for the medical side of their adolescent bariatric...
Patient-initiated collaborative texting
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Nearly three-quarters of consumers say they prefer texting with a business if an actual human is the returning texts — no bots need reply. But the ...
A breast cancer story from an Asian perspective
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I was first diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), on May 15, 2015, at 41 years old. I had my annual exam with my gyn...
How to improve medication adherence
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Automation and technologies can enable adherence, but true change happens when physicians and pharmacists work together in collaborative teams to ach...
What this physician mom learned about shame
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I cry often enough that my kids almost gleefully expect it, checking me for tears during movies or shows, shaking their heads in mock dismay when the...
A physician mom's take on telemedicine
31 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"In early 2018 when I started full-time telemedicine, I was quite reluctant about losing the physical hands-on evaluation, especially the palpation, p...
Transition planning: financial moves for medical residents and fellows
30 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"While you may not know exactly what your transition period will look like ahead of time, you can do your best to prepare for this change. By having a...
Robotic interventional cardiology
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"In the majority of robotic-assisted cases I perform, automated movements are particularly helpful in delivering gear – I can easily get balloons an...
What needs to change in medicine for it to be sustainable?
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"A prospect seeking a career in medicine must start with their own awareness of boundaries and perfectionism before entering the field. This inner wor...
What a good death looked like
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"He needed to be taken to the hospital to be pronounced, and he was put on a gurney. One frequently mouthed wish was to be taken from his home feet fi...
Allow yourself the space you need to heal
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"As doctors, we are called to heal. We are called to serve. It's in us. Our ability to heal and serve others does not have to be limited to the hospit...
We are humans first and gifted healers second
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"If I knew back in training and practice what I know now, I would have looked for the support and mentoring that would have helped me to forge a path ...
Stop financially handicapping non-citizen physicians
24 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I acknowledge that as a physician, I am overall financially secure. However, after jumping over multiple extra hurdles to prove myself throughout my ...
Guns and public health advocacy
23 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Nineteen children were killed in a mass shooting in Texas. I have barely escaped the pandemonium of the pediatric emergency department to scarf down ...
Patient platforms should be intuitive in design and execution
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Communication is both the sending and receiving of information. Data is as difficult to receive and act upon as the ingredients of a meal because muc...
Fibromyalgia is not a trash can diagnosis
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"How would you like to see your career slip away from you as you gradually become less and less able to sleep, to rest, to feel awake, to feel like yo...
Don't give up on intermittent fasting just yet
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"So don't give up your eating window just yet! The good question I am hoping researchers will answer next: who loses the most weight? Is it the human ...
A bullied medical assistant's tragic story
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Today, I'd like to tell you the story of one who was exemplary. He was never late to work. He never came in and insisted on finishing his breakfast a...
Why a nurse should not go to jail
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"From a place of personal accountability and commitment to system improvement, RaDonda Vaught's conduct in the aftermath of this tragic event has been...
Malpractice may be negative, but its data can generate positive results
17 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"When most health care professionals hear the word 'malpractice,' they want to run the other way. This is understandable—but also a missed opportuni...
Historical lessons to improve health care today
16 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Medical advances can often stir up ethical issues, which ripple into two courts: the court of law and the court of public opinion. These news article...
Why the new 988 hotline has the potential to transform mental health care
15 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"The federal 988 hotline represents a promising new approach to alleviating the nation's growing mental health crisis, but several key challenges loom...
Using inquiry-based stress reduction to treat medical malpractice stress syndrome
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"We are busy people who have had much success; looking at our painful thoughts is not something we have had the need or opportunity to do. We may be a...
How to tackle the physician shortage
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"The national physician shortage is an urgent issue that requires immediate attention. Otherwise, the next time you seek medical care, you might be tr...
Not a cancer survivor or previvor, but a cancer preventer
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I know how different my experience is. I am not facing potentially debilitating treatment(s) or the fear of death. Still, I am experiencing a physica...
A hospice doctor's advice on financial independence and living a regret-free life
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Unlike my dad, I grew up with very different feelings about my own longevity. I have always believed that I would live to a ripe old age. This belief...
An example of medical-legal consulting
10 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"To a reasonable degree of medical probability, it was my opinion that the long hours the client spent typing, in addition to the poor ergonomics of h...
Allow yourself a moment to focus on yourself, not the next patient
09 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Allow yourself a moment to focus on yourself, not the next patient. Take a drink of cold water, go to the bathroom, and maybe take a lap around the r...
A shortage of geriatric doctors
08 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Policymakers and educators can introduce incentives and new educational programs to recruit more physicians to fill the care gaps for elderly patient...
Regulate your nervous system to improve your physical and emotional well-being
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"It makes sense that the body's reaction to the onslaught of perceived threats would have a detrimental effect on physical and mental well-being. Perc...
Be skeptical of certificate of need laws
06 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Certificate of need (CON) laws purport to lower health care costs, increase patient access and ensure quality by managing the distribution of private...
Open-angle glaucoma: To screen or not to screen?
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"My take on the Task Force statement is that clinical judgment should rule as to whether or not screening is indicated for glaucoma. Family history, r...
Treating pain without medication
03 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"In my medical training, we were taught five ways to treat pain: lifestyle modifications, physical therapy, medications, injections, and surgery. Life...
Let's talk about bullying in medicine
02 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Very few are talking about workplace bullying, yet many are benefitting from it. It acts contrary to the principles of care at the heart of medicine ...
What doctors need to know about physician health programs
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Change is overdue. Physicians who need help for mental health issues or substance use disorders need to get it in a manner that is free of financial ...
A call to stop overworking
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"We are in an epidemic of gaslighting in medicine. The best definition I heard of gaslighting is transferring your authority on yourself from you to s...
What I learned after being hacked on social media
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I never thought social media hacking would offer such important reminders and lessons, but here we are. By the way, I am the first to admit that it's...
Medical school loan repayment tips
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"My wife is a urogynecologist lucky enough to get through her seven years of residency plus fellowship with "only" $124,000 of student debt. When we d...
New legislation addresses health care professionals' mental health needs
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"For many health care professionals, the stresses of their roles routinely take a heavy toll on their mental and physical well-being. It did for me. T...
Physicians need to be trained as entrepreneurs and encouraged to innovate
26 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Teaching medical students entrepreneurial and business skills is invaluable as the need for leadership in medicine grows in every single sector. Many...
Want your skin to look better? Then consider your mental health.
25 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Stigma surrounding mental illness often prevents patients from seeking the mental health care they need, delaying care and prolonging suffering. Fear...
My experience as a teenage health care worker during the COVID-19 pandemic
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"We owe it to our patients to do better. Every time I picture the couple leaving the pharmacy unvaccinated, I am reminded that true health care requir...
Combining personalized education and digital technology to improve glucose monitors
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Diabetes uniquely requires patients be experts in their own care and demands 24/7/365 vigilance. Close communication with a health care team eases th...
Healthy patients and healthy physicians: Is it possible?
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Lifestyle medicine is part of regular medicine but stands apart in that it is health care that directly benefits patients through the restoration of ...
Strategies to help you prepare for multiple mini interviews (MMIs)
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"The bottom line is that while you can't predict exactly which MMI prompt you'll be given, you can absolutely start preparing for the MMI. Become fami...
Primary care's inevitable reboot
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"The tech giants of Silicon Valley – love them or hate them – have put incredible personal technology tools into homes and pockets of our patients...
Art as a tool to manage pain
19 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I had also used arts and crafts previously in my own experience to help with healing. Including the previous year when I had a breast cancer recurren...
A bad death: the importance of truth-telling at end-of-life
18 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"In their hearts, her daughters just wanted their mother to make the most of the time she had left. She never made it to the beach or hugged her grand...
It's time to flip the script on peer evaluations
17 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"It's time to flip the script on evaluations. How can we shine a light upon the strengths of the wonderful peers we are blessed to work with? How can ...
Burnout is a spiritual crisis
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"It is a time to ponder on those essential questions: What is your purpose in life, and how can you follow it? What talents can you share with the wor...
Virtual care is convenient, but is it better for everyone?
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"2022 is well underway, and we are still unclear about exactly where this virus is headed and what the lasting impact it will have had on all of us. W...
How long will it take to address clinical inertia in T2DM?
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"It's been over twenty years since clinical inertia was coined a term, and since that time, experts have debated on how to define it, and where and wh...